The hormones used by Dr. Selma are chemically the same as those produced by your own body. Since they are molecularly identical, you’re body benefits from them in the exact same way.

If you are experiencing symptoms, chances are your hormones are not balanced. A simple, inexpensive blood test determines current levels.

Dr. Selma then provides detailed information to help you make an informed and confident decision about BHRT.

Dr. Selma’s approach is unique and personalized, so every patient experiences the most efficient and affordable path to hormonal balance and optimal health.

Generally, this includes:

• Completing a form with medical history, current (and any prior) medications, supplements, and a list of your concerns/questions

• A detailed consultation with Dr. Selma to review medical history, explain BHRT, and address questions/concerns

• Simple, inexpensive blood tests to establish baseline hormone levels (if needed)

• Use of progesterone/estrogen creams carefully compounded under the supervision of Dr. Selma

• Use of testosterone injections for men under the supervision of Dr. Selma

• Appointment to review balance and decline or elimination of symptoms in 3-4 months

• 3 appointments within the year, contact the office with questions as needed

• Some changes happen within days, such as the resolution of hot flashes and night sweats

• Many women experience greater mental clarity and more emotional stability within a few months

• Men typically see improvement in 4-6 weeks

• However, every person and situation is different. For example, if you’ve been without hormone balance for several years, it can take a little more time to achieve full balance.

The best time to start BHRT is when hormone levels start to decline. Although some women have ovarian dysfunction in their 20’s, most women start to have a permanent decline in hormones in their early 40’s. Once hormone levels start to permanently decline, the sooner you start replacement the better. We recommend that you have your hormone levels checked as a baseline, so you have your own personal levels to refer to when you start having symptoms.

Keep in mind, although symptoms of menopause are typically abrupt and occur when hormone levels have been low for several years, symptoms of perimenopause begin gradually, a good decade before menopause.

The longer you wait, the more time you give your body to start declining in health. In women, the female cycle of estrogen and progesterone keeps the whole body in balance. When women lose this cycle, the body accelerates in the degenerative process.

The longer you wait, the more you will age.

Testosterone is the major male hormone. Testosterone is crucial to every cell function in the body. Men never have zero testosterone, but their levels begin to decline with advancing age. This directly correlates with loss of vitality and health, as well as the advancement of age-related diseases.

Hormone balance is critical to stress management. Women typically report anxiety and poor stress management with perimenopause and menopause. Once hormones are balanced, it becomes much easier to handle the normal stresses of life, and any adrenal fatigue can begin to improve.

Libido has many components. Prolonged mental stress, which leads to adrenal fatigue, can contribute to infertility and low libido. It seems to be nature’s way of protecting women from reproduction during periods of stress. After menopause, libido typically declines rapidly as the interaction of hormones from the adrenal glands and ovaries is lost. If adrenal glands are healthy, replacing hormones in the fluctuating ovarian pattern can restore libido.

This will not happen if hormones are replaced in a non-fluctuating “static” dose. Some physicians chose to address this by giving testosterone to women; however, this is not a medically sound approach. Studies have shown the negative long-term effects of replacing testosterone in women.

There is no evidence that hormone replacement will prolong your life span. However, there is plenty of evidence that it will increase your quality of life, vitality, functionality and overall health. As long as you want these benefits, you can safely enjoy BHRT.

No. You will likely begin to put on weight without hormone replacement. Aging women commonly complain they are eating less and exercising more than ever, but still cannot lose weight. If hormones are balanced, you will be able to easily achieve a stable weight as you did when you were young and healthy.

As long as you take bioidentical hormones topically and within physiological doses (that correspond to what your body produces) there have been no reported side effects. Bioidentical hormones have the same molecular structure as the hormones your own body makes. The body makes these hormones in the years of optimum health, and when they are not made anymore, health begins to decline. There have only been reported side effects of taking synthetic hormones, especially any type of synthetic Progesterone. Also remember, estrogen should never be taken by mouth as it increases the risk of blood clots.